


Beneath the Surface

by iloveyou_iknow (llostt_in_ttranslationn)



Series: i’d die trying to let you live [3]
Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, except this is pretty much pure hizzie, part three of the henelope adventures, this is a full blown series now huh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-16 01:22:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19307779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/llostt_in_ttranslationn/pseuds/iloveyou_iknow
Summary: Hope can’t help her feelings for Lizzie, but maybe she can help find a cure for the Merge.





	Beneath the Surface

**Author's Note:**

> Josie finally appears for like .3 seconds here. There’s gonna be more parts. I’m not putting them all in the same fic as separate chapters because they’re all independent points in time, if that makes sense.

“Hope?”

 

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Hope grumbles under her breath. If she hears someone try to start a conversation by saying her name like that one more fucking time she’s going to lose it.

 

Instead of going off on the poor soul who dared interrupt her stewing in the library, Hope just looks up, plastering a tight lipped smile on her face.

 

It’s Lizzie, because _of course it is_. There’s maybe five people that would ever even try to start a conversation with her in the first place, but still it has to be the one that’s always on Hope’s mind.

 

“Hey, Liz,” Hope’s smile melts into a more genuine one as Lizzie slips into the seat next to her.

 

“What’cha reading?” Lizzie leans in close to get a peak at the book, and Hope’s senses are invaded by the floral scent of Lizzie’s shampoo and the citrus of her perfume. In essence, Lizzie is way too close for Hope to function properly.

 

And the way that Lizzie scrunches io her nose when she realizes that the dusty old book Hope is reading is in latin, well it makes Hope’s heart stutter a beat.

 

She’s usually much better at keeping cool around the blonde, but ever since a certain pain in the ass raven haired witch brought up Hope and Lizzie’s relationship, or lack-there-of, Hope hasn’t been able to keep not-so platonic thoughts of the blonde out of her head.

 

And that was nearly two months ago.

 

“Hope?” Lizzie says again, tilting her head in concern at Hope’s continued silence.

 

“Sorry,” Hope murmurs. “Been a long day.”

 

“You know I suck at latin,” Lizzie grumbles. “And I’ve never seen this book before. What’s got you so stressed?”

 

_Oh nothing, just trying to save your life._

 

“It’s just a book my Aunt Freya sent me. Nothing much,” Hope shrugs. “Besides, you hate reading, so even if this book was from here, you probably wouldn’t have seen it either way.”

 

Lizzie scoffs. “Rude.”

 

“It’s true,” Hope smirks.

 

Lizzie just rolls her eyes. “Oh, bite me, Mikaelson.”

 

“Didn’t know you were into that, Saltzman,” Hope winks.

 

Lizzie’s face heats up and displays a bright red blush. “Shut up.”

 

Hope smirks, proud of herself. She’s not accustomed to flirty banter, but Lizzie makes it so easy.

 

Hope’s three days with Penelope seem to have boosted her ability to use her snark more endearingly than abrasively.

 

“So, what’s up?” Hope asks. “What brings you to the library? Since we both know you hate it here.”

 

“I was looking for you,” Lizzie admits.

 

It’s Hope’s turn to turn a bit red. “Oh. Really?”

 

Lizzie smiles softly. “Don’t be lame about it, Mikaelson. It’s Friday, Kaleb is planning a bonfire in the woods tonight. Thought you might want to come.”

 

They both know in a million years Hope would not _want_  to go, and a long beat passes because Hope doesn’t know how to voice that gently.

 

“Okay, fine,” Lizzie concedes. “I was hoping you would come. With me.”

 

Hope’s eyebrows shoot up. _Is she..._

 

Lizzie twitches nervously, anxious in the long silence. She jumps up from her seat, scrambling for words because she does not handle rejection well. “Um, never mind actually, that’s stupid. I’ll leave you alone with your book. Uh, see you Monday.”

 

Hope snags Lizzie’s wrist gently before the blonde can run away. “Liz, wait,” she breathes out.

 

Lizzie eyes her with wary hopefulness.

 

“I’ll go,” Hope says. And then, “with you.”

 

Lizzie beams, but then thinks better of looking so dorky in public, so she clears her throat and glances around the library to make sure no one saw her moment of weakness for the redhead. She straightens her spine and squares her shoulders, and Hope watches her walls fly up.

 

“Cool. I’ll stop by your room at eight,” Lizzie informs her.

 

“Okay,” Hope agrees softly. She finally drops her hand from Lizzie’s arm, giving a nod as her way of saying goodbye.

 

Lizzie hums her response and swivels on her heel to strut out of the library, glaring at anyone who dares meet her gaze. _Nerds._  

 

A few short hours later, Hope can sense Lizzie’s presence outside her door at seven-fifty-seven. She considers opening the door, but doesn’t want to embarrass the blonde by calling her out on being early.

 

Instead, Hope waits until Lizzie knocks exactly one minute after eight. Her attempt at being politely fashionably late, apparently.

 

Hope opens the door with a soft smile at Lizzie’s antics.

 

She’s never seen the blonde this antsy before. But Lizzie is still as gorgeous as ever.

 

“Hi,” Hope mumbles.

 

Lizzie grins. “C’mon, let’s get going. Don’t want Dad to catch us wandering the halls.”

 

Lizzie grabs Hope’s hand casually to tug her through the hallways, but when Hope tangles their fingers together, neither girl says anything or drops their grip.

 

There’s plenty of students milling around with plastic cups in their hands when Hope and Lizzie get there. Their hands are separated again, but Lizzie hovers close to Hope’s side. Or maybe it’s the other way around, since Hope is the one not too keen on parties.

 

Either way, the duo stays together as they make their way to the table of drinks.

 

MG grins widely when he spots them. “Hope! I didn’t know you were coming!”

 

Hope glances sideways at Lizzie, but smiles at MG. “Neither did I.”

 

He tilts his head in confusion, but Lizzie is quick to distract him.

 

“What here isn’t spiked?”

 

MG busies himself preparing drinks for the two girls. “Josie is here somewhere,” he tells them.

 

“Is she?” Lizzie hums, accepting the drink from MG. “She said she might stay in tonight.”

 

The boy shrugs, but his attention is drawn by something over Lizzie’s shoulder. “I gotta go, but I’ll see you girls later!”

 

And once again, Hope and Lizzie are left on their own.

 

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my favorite duo.”

 

Lizzie huffs in annoyance. “Since when are you allowed to speak to me?”

 

“Actually, blondie,” Jed scoffs. “I’m here to have a chat with Salvatore’s resident hero.”

 

Hope raises an eyebrow as she meets the boy’s eyes.

 

“No way in hell—“

 

“Liz, it’s okay,” Hope places a hand soothingly on the other girl’s arm. “Go find Josie and I’ll meet you in a minute, okay?”

 

Lizzie frowns, but nods. She shoots a glare at the werewolf. “Don’t even think about doing something stupid to her.”

 

Jed puts his hands up in surrender. “No funny business here, blondie.”

 

Lizzie stalks away with a scowl.

 

Hope drags Jed to the edge of the clearing, leaning against a tree with crossed arms. “Is she okay?”

 

“She’s just peachy,” Jed rolls his eyes. “Following a lead in Canada. Wanted me to give you this note.”

 

Hope snatches the offered piece of paper. “That’s all?”

 

“I mean, she also asked for an update on Josie but I figured she didn’t really want that,” Jed shrugs.

 

Hope nods. “Well you can tell her that I’m going through some books from my aunt to see if there’s anything about the Merge in them.”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” Jed salutes, and he begins to turn away, but Hope’s voice halts him.

 

“Tell her Josie is on her way to understanding,” Hope tells him.

 

Jed nods again, before slinking away into the crowd.

 

Hope shoves the note into the pocket of her jeans, deciding it’ll be better to read it later.

 

She closes her eyes and listens closely, using her enhanced hearing to search out the familiar pulsing sound of Lizzie’s heartbeat. She could seek out the blonde’s voice, but her heartbeat soothes the slight anxiety Hope is feeling just thinking about the Merge, so it’s a win-win.

 

Once she locates her favorite blonde, Hope begins making her way through the throng of teenagers to reach the twins.

 

Lizzie’s eyes brighten when she spots Hope, but she doesn’t angle her body away from her sister, who is rambling on about something.

 

Hope settles herself at Lizzie’s side, maybe a little closer than absolutely necessary, but Lizzie doesn’t seem to be complaining about the slight pressure of Hope’s body against her.

 

Josie smiles a little too widely when she notices Hope, and Hope recognizes that she’s intoxicated nearly instantly.

 

“H-ope!” Josie grins.

 

“Having a good night, Josie?” Hope chuckles.

 

In reality, she can she the thickly veiled sadness in Josie’s eyes, masked by a layer of haze from the alcohol. Penelope’s leaving is clearly still affecting her, even if it’s only below the surface now.

 

“The bestest,” Josie agrees.

 

Hope smiles sympathetically. “I’m glad.”

 

“I think I’m gonna go talk to Landon!” Josie decides after a moment.

 

“Hey now,” Hope catches the sleeve of Josie’s leather jacket before she can get too far.

 

_This is Penelope’s jacket,_  Hope’s brain supplies offhandedly.

 

“Why don’t you head back to your room, instead?” Hope suggests.

 

“Maybe Landon will take me,” Josie says.

 

Now, Hope knows Landon is a good guy and would never take advantage of Josie in the state she’s in, but she doesn’t trust Josie to not attempt to do something stupid that she’ll regret later on.

 

Hope scans the crowd for a specific face.

 

“Jed!” She spots the boy getting a drink nearby.

 

His head perks up, meeting Hope’s eyes questioningly. She tilts her head a little, summoning him without words.

 

Jed puts his cup down on the table obediently, and joins the trio quickly.

 

Lizzie sneers at him.

 

“Take Josie back to her room, please,” Hope tells Jed.

 

“Hope!” Lizzie squeaks. “Him? Really?”

 

“I trust him,” Hope reassures the blonde quietly.

 

Jed, for once, has the tact to keep his mouth shut from any snarky comments.

 

Lizzie stares at the boy for a long moment. He’s eerily familiar, but she recalls the fact that he was at Penelope’s bedside a few months ago, so she concedes to the fact that if Penelope does indeed still love her sister, that this boy wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize Josie’s health or safety if he knows what’s good for him.

 

Lizzie sighs, but offers a stiff nod towards Jed. “Hurt her and you’re dead.”

 

Jed reaches out to grasp Josie’s forearm gently. “Nice jacket,” he mumbles.

 

Josie smiles loopily at Hope and Lizzie as Jed begins to lead her away.

 

“I wish she’d just stayed in our room,” Lizzie frowns. “This isn’t good for her.”

 

Hope nods in agreement.

 

“Of all the people at this school, she really had to get hung up on Satan,” Lizzie scoffs.

 

“She’s not all that bad, Liz,” Hope tells her. She wants to go on about the fact that Penelope is risking her life for both of the twins, but she refrains.

 

Lizzie rolls her eyes. “I don’t feel like partying anymore.”

 

“Wanna watch a movie in my room?”

 

Lizzie nods. “Yeah, sure,” she smiles softly.

 

Hours later, sometime into the third movie, Hope remembers the note Jed delivered to her earlier.

 

She contemplates getting up to dig it out of the pocket of her jeans that lay discarded on the floor, but then Lizzie cuddles deeper into her side, arms tightening around her waist as she sleeps, and Hope decides that the note can wait until the morning.

 

She presses a kiss to the top of Lizzie’s head.

 

“We’re gonna fix this, Liz,” Hope whispers into the dark. “And then we’ll all get our happy endings.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought! I’m also on twitter and tumblr btw.


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